Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-22
GOV. sTAsFoRD,seINEYARD.
1t is six Miles Long and Two Miles
Wild.
N from he goolmenio See.

planted when the Agion surround ng III
was a bowling wilderness OF tall grass,
shTubbery and tOrds, and Indians ana
wfld game were pntituL Inc venture
some whey ardist no planted his grapes
in tAis part OF thestate was Peter Lau-
sen. His vines we set out at Whst is
now known as ina, Tehama county,
about 100 miles lOrth of sacramento.
Lauseu was one the earliest pioneer
and many OF his mes were planted ior'y
wears ago. Theyaye attained wonder
full size and yielabundantly. The prop
erty passed intohe hands of German
named Henry Geie, practical vineyard
ist, who made additions to the plant until
there were seVety-hve acres IN grapes.
lie built a winey and it became noted
throughout thPacIfic coast for the eX-
celIence OF the inc produced. The Gerke
vineyard becne known as one OF tn
largest in CalDrnia, and it furnished em-
ployment to aarge number OF men.
But the pJperty once more changed
hands, Senate Leland Stanford purcuas-
ing 1t in Sepember, 1881. His Interest
and ENTHUSIASM in the development Il
Northern ClIfOrnIa WAS great and MS
vast wealtl permitted him TO proceed
upon a mot extensive scale. HIS pun
chases wsr not confined TO the vineyard,
but THOUSANDS of acres OF adjoining land
was bougf, until now his possessions
amount d $1,000 acres. He worked
cumplete evolution upon the ranch. Toe
most ex peIienced vine growers were en-
ployed and set Immediately to work TO
overhaul tie old vineyard and to set our
new vines, Hundreds of men were put
10 work preparing the land, and from 1882
10 1884 |, 00lacres were added TO the vino
yard, and snce then more extensive add
tons haVebeen made until now he has
nearly 400 acres in vines, 5000 in full
bearing, mixing the largest vineyard in
the world. 1t IS intended TO make still
further additions, and in few years the
Vina vineyard will have no less than 5000
acres.
Tocondu,t this great ranch requires an
army of ma, and during the busy season
over 800 are employed. The average
monthly pay roll Is 81 900, which is Veiy
small item compared with the other eX-
penses of keeping the place moving. Gov.
Stanford has erected on the property hand
some and comfortable buildings for his
men, and large and substantial stables
for his thoroughbred stock. The General
Superintendent OF the ranch is W. Ii.
Smith, who was for many years an extern
sive and successful wine maker In oonoma
county. He conducts the great ranch and
vineyard upon systematic scale. having
fOremen to look after the different gangs
OF men, ana as result much work is &C
complished At the present time there
are nearly 800 men employed, the greater
number engaged in pruning the vines,
although large force is kept busy at the
regular ranch work.
Raisin making has been carried on to
some extent at the vineyard. The main
object of the work, however, is to grow
wine grapes. There are ON the ranch %
acres Of Seedless Sultanas and 30 acres OF
Musoateis. Among the leading varieties
of wine grapes are the Zlntandel, Treau-
seau, BuTgos, Reisllng, B.Oalbi and Chas-
selas. This is only small mum Der of the
varieties in the vineyard. The grapes ace
planted in a fine dark loan and the yield
is most prolific. All the sol! in that neigh
bOrhoOd is of the same good quality, and
a large amount has been planted to fruits
and vines by Standards neighbOTs. Not
mucn has been done in the way OF citrus
fruit culture, but it has been demOnstrat-
ed that oranges, olives, lemons and lines
will grow there. Richard HildebIand
OF VIVA, has a small orange orchard and
will this year Plant 200 more trees. In
some portions of the neighborhOod the
grape growers have engaged quite extern
sively in raisin making, and not lew
have made fine quality OF wine, Vina
g:on in the State and its products are
bound to become famous. The grapes
ripen several weeks earlier there than
they do in Napa valley and other vine
growing sections Of the State, for the rea-
son that the damp sea breeZes are not ielt
there.
1t is grand sight to drive through the
broad, well-kept avenues in and about the
vineyards. There Is perfect sea OF vines
and fruit trees stretching as far as the eye
can reach. The vineyard is over two miles
in width by nearly six miles in length.
Each variety of grapes occupies plat Of
ground to itself, and in each corner is
large white post bearing the name of the
grape. Nearly 10, 600 fruit trees have been
set between the rows of vines. The trees
are; apple, pear, plum, peach, apricot and
prune. The trees have just come into bear
ing.
TO convert this vast yield of grapes into
wine required an extensive establishment,
so Senator Stanford erected an immense
winery, two stories high and In size 106
by 1877 feet. This vas filed by great casks,
tanks, Kegs, and the finest apparatus for
crushing the grapes. Even this large
building soon proved too small and an
other WAS built. This is $50 feet long by
80 feet in width. They have on band now
in the wineries nearly 100000 gallons of
port, olaret and other wines. These Gel
lars are undOu btedly the largest on the
coast. They are kept in the most perfect
order and the casks are all catalogued,
showing wnen the wine was pumped
and the quantity they contain. An excel
lent quality has been produced and OK
perts have pronounced It equal TO the best
imported brands. 1t will be placed upon
the market next year and at the ruling
price Will realize great sum OF money.
But even with these extensive cellaTe il
has been found that by another Sc ason
they Will be far too small for the product
OF this wonderful ranch, so that the order
has been given to provide more room.
Standing near the main winery is large
where fine quality of Crane
brandy is made. This years yield Will
be 10000 gallons, and neXtyeaT, when the
new vines come into bearing, il Will be
double that amount. Not far from the
distillery large bonded warehouse OF
brick and iron. with concrete floor, mas
Just been completed.
Work has already been commenced on
the new winery. twill be an immense
structure OF brick and iron. absolutely
ireproof. 1t Will be nearly 300 feet in
length by 260 feet in width, and will have
A capacity for 100000 gallons OF wine.
1t stands nearly quarter OF a mile from
tbe railroad track, but work will be com.
menced Immediately TO layla track to that
building and the others for the conven.
ence OF shipping.
Rough ON Pies"
Why suffer Piles? Immediate relief and